P&O Britannia Cabins to Avoid

Avoid making a bad cabin choice with my guide to which P&O Britannia cabins to avoid and which to book.

Cruise ships come with an overwhelming choice of accommodation. From luxury suites to single cabins, there are numerous options to consider.

Depending on your circumstances and the fare you book, the decision may be taken out of your hands as you may be allocated a cabin.

However, if you book a fare that allows you to choose your own cabin, it can be a hard decision to make.

Selecting a cabin that ends up not meeting your requirements can put a real downer on your holiday.

That said, there is no right or wrong cabin on a cruise ship, everyone has their own personal preference and often strong opinions.

Some people will only cruise in a balcony cabin while other are more than happy with an inside cabin. Some like to be near all the facilities and some like to be in a quieter location. It is very much a personal choice.

So, while there are a few things everyone should keep in mind when deciding on a cabin, the best and worst cabins on a ship will be different for everyone.

In this post I share some tips on which cabins to avoid on Britannia depending on your needs and requirements.

A little bit about Britannia

With the recent addition of Arvia and Iona, Britannia is now the third largest ship in the P&O fleet both in passenger number and size.

She joined the P&O family in 2015 and her normal guest capacity is 3,647.

A family-friendly ship, Britannia offers something for everyone. Whether that is a wide variety of bars and restaurants, pools and whirlpools, children’s clubs, exercise facilities and a casino.

While perhaps not as sparkly and shiny as the newer ships, Britannia’s contemporary decor gives you all the boutique hotel vibes. The highlight of which is the spectacular starburst centrepiece in the gorgeous atrium.

Britannia sails itineraries around The Caribbean and Mediterranean.

Overview of Britannia Cabins

Britannia has 1,837 cabins spread over eight decks.

• 448 inside
• 1206 balcony
• 92 superior deluxe
• 64 suites
• 27 single cabins

There are three cabins types and several subcategories within those types.

• Inside (single and standard)
• Balcony (single, standard, superior deluxe and fully obstructed)
• Suite

P&O Britannia Cabins to Avoid

It’s always hard to recommend cabins to avoid as everyone has their own reasons for booking a particular cabin.

Whether this is personal likes or dislikes, budget considerations or availability, there is no one size fits all.

Either way, it is a good idea to have a little think about the things you want from your cruise holiday before booking.

Then you can look at the different styles of cabins on Britannia and their locations and make an informed decision.

I’ve put together some of the things I considered before booking my cruise on Britannia that you may also like to keep in mind.

Cabins on Deck 15

It may seem a bit harsh to recommend steering clear of cabins on deck 15, however, there are good reasons for this.

Directly underneath the Lido deck (16), they have the potential to be some of the noisy cabins on Britannia.

Depending on how sensitive to sounds you are, you run the risk of being disturbed by noise from the pool area, the Horizon Restaurant or the Sunset Bar.

In cabins underneath the pool area you may hear the sun loungers and chairs being set up each morning and moved around during the day. There is also a chance of hearing general noise from this area.

The same applies to cabins under the Sunset Bar. If you are directly underneath you may occasionally be disturbed by sounds from the bar.

There shouldn’t be too much noise from the buffet but if you are particularly sensitive to noise, you may hear the food stations being set up or people walking through the area if they are heavy-footed.

Cabins above the Theatre

P&O Cruises put on some great theatre shows. However, if you end up with a cabin above the Headliners Theatre you may not agree.

There are usually two or three shows a night in the theatre. If you plan to be out and about (possibly at the show), this is unlikely to be an issue. However, if you like to spend some of the evening in your cabin, you may hear some noise from the show.

During the day there is also a risk with rehearsals and other events taking place in the theatre.

Cabins with Restricted Balcony Access

There are several cabins located above the Bridge which have restrictions on accessing their balconies when at sea.

So, if you like to spend time on your balcony, you may wish to think about booking cabins in a different area.

Cabins with Partially Shaded Balconies.

Sitting on your balcony enjoying the ocean views is definitely one of the best things about cruising.

However, if you also like to enjoy sitting in the sun, it is worth being aware that Britannia has several cabins with partially shaded balconies.

This may not really be too much of an issue as long as you are aware you are likely to get little sun on these. They are clearly marked on the deck plans so can be easily avoided when booking.

One thing to note if you are a solo traveller is that all the single balcony cabins, located on deck 16, have partially shaded balconies due to the overhang above.

I’m staying in one of these later this year so I will report back on the experience.

Cabins with an Obstructed View

Britannia has some cabins that have a balcony with an obstructed view.

This generally means the view from the balcony on these cabins is blocked by a lifeboat and/or equipment.

However, some cabins have a more restrictive view than others. Some are fully obstructed while others may only have a partial obstruction. So, you may get no view or a little bit of a view depending on the cabin.

The flip side of this is that they are usually cheaper than non-obstructed balcony cabins.

So, if you like to enjoy taking in the sea views from your balcony you might want to steer clear of these cabins.

On the other hand, if you just use your balcony for a bit of fresh air and aren’t bothered by a view, then these could be a good – and cheaper – option to consider.

Cabins above the Smoking Area

There are a couple of smoking areas on Britannia on decks seven and 16.

Reviews of cabins above the smoking area on deck seven mention being disturbed. This is mostly from the door opening and closing rather than the smell of smoke that you might expect.

As the area is by the live lounge, one of Britannia’s late-night venues, the risk of noise as people come and go can go on into the small hours.

Whether you are a smoker or not, these may be balcony cabins to avoid.

The Last Word

There aren’t really any cabins to avoid on Britannia. It all depends on your personal preference and the type of holiday you want.

If you spend a lot of time on your balcony, you may wish to avoid cabins with an overhang, near noisy or smelly venues and those with an obstructed view.

However, if you are usually out and about enjoying all the facilities on the ship some of those issues may not be a such a problem for you.

As long as you are clear on what you are booking and know what to expect, there shouldn’t be any surprises.

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• P&O Britannia inside cabin review
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